


The Price of Bread

by Turquoistar



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-07-12 04:08:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7085041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Turquoistar/pseuds/Turquoistar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard drags Garrus to a grocery store on Earth to get some food. Food he can't eat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Price of Bread

The metal carts rattled together as the woman attempted to pull one free of the other. “Shepard?” A flanging voice called to her and the Turian pulled another cart easily free from the long row. 

She scoffed as she abandoned the cart and took the free on, “I could have gotten it out, Garrus.” She grumbled as she started to push the cart though the large grocery center. 

Garrus tugged at his shirt around his carapace, “I know.” He looked around he was the only Turian among a sea of humans. He was easily a head taller than anyone else there. “Why are we here again? The Exchange Center has food that we both can eat.” 

Shepard sighed pushing her long brown hair out of her face, “Because my food is cheaper here. I don’t mind spending five dollars on a loaf of bread that doesn’t put you in the emergency room, but for me. It’s not going to happen. I’ll spend two or three bucks for myself.”

Garrus chuckled, “If I even liked bread.” 

Shepard rolled her eyes as she pushed the cart though the store. Garrus noticed the odd looks everyone around him gave. It was understandable it was a smaller community and he was sure most had only seen Turians in vids. Shepard was looking over different colored boxed, “Should I get Beef A Roni or Chicken Ala King?” Garrus glanced at her and she was waiting for an answer, “Fine don’t be helpful.” She threw both boxes in the cart as she walked off. 

Garrus followed, “Shepard what do you want me to say. I can’t eat either one?” She didn’t reply as they turned down a row with different fruits. Garrus opened up his omni-tool and started looking up if he could eat any of the fruits they had there. “Shepard.” She sighed and turned to him bagging up some yellow fruit. Garrus showed her his Omni-tool, “Here is a list of all the food they have in this store. That I can eat.” 

Shepard looked over the small list, “Garrus there are only three items on that list and two of them are spices.” Shepard looked at the list again, “I like both of those spices.” She hummed. “Good to know.” 

Shepard asked for Garrus input and for the sake of not pissing off his Commander and lover he gave her an answer. They turned a corner and a small child started to scream. Garrus looked around but no one looked to be watching the small child. Shepard left the cart, “Hey, shh it’s ok.” She glanced at Garrus whom was the cause of the little girl distress. “Garrus isn’t going to hurt you.” 

“What are you doing to my child?” A man rushed over. 

Shepard stood up, “Trying to find out why she isn’t with you, if you're her Father.” The man narrowed his eyes then he spotted Garrus and he paled a bit. He picked up the little girl and walked away without a word. Shepard put her hands on her hips, “The nerve of that guy. Come on Garrus.” 

Garrus grabbed the cart and followed Shepard though the busy store. He felt bad about upsetting that little human but he couldn’t really be blamed that she wasn’t exposed to the other species of the Galaxy. Garrus looked down in the cart it was already half full mostly of junk food and quickie meals. “Shepard you know if you’re worried about saving money we could buy the ingredient for this stuff and make it at home.” He picked up a box of Beef A Roni. “For a lot cheaper.” 

“Cooking takes too much time. I’d rather just nuke something and have a meal.” She grabbed a few boxes of chocolate pastries tossing them into the cart. Garrus didn’t follow as she walked on and she went to put more in the cart when she noticed he wasn’t following. “Garras come on.” 

Garrus sighed as he flexed his mandibles, “Shepard...I think you’re hungry.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him, “A little, why?” 

Garrus reached into the cart and grabbed the chocolate she’d throw in, “You told me that you don’t like these? Why would you get.” He looked into the cart to count, “Six of them, if you don’t like them?” 

“I like them, I just have to be in a mood for them. Yes I’m a little hungry what is the big deal?” Shepard crossed her arms. 

Garrus walked around the cart, “Even I know you shouldn’t buy food on an empty stomach. Why don’t we stop and get you some food before we come back and try this again.” 

Shepard shook her head, “That is silly, I’m a grown women I don’t need you acting like this. I’m capable of shopping for food on an empty stomach. Once we get home I’ll make some food it’ll be fine.” 

Garrus growled on his sub vocals so Shepard couldn’t hear, “I think you wanted to shop here because your junk food isn’t as expensive so you feel better about splurging.” 

Shepard threw the box, she had in hand, into the cart and she grabbed the corner of the cart walking away from him. Garrus watched the cart follow Shepard as he sighed. If they had been at the Exchange Center he could go grab his own cart and buy what he wanted but if he didn’t follow her she was likely to fill the whole cart with meals-n-box and stuff that would never get eaten. Garrus slowly followed her thinking maybe if she didn’t eat it he could invite some of the other humans over so they could eat it. At least it wouldn’t go to waste. 

The walked down every aisle of the large grocery store as shepard opened a bag of chips and started eating them. The cart was almost full as the finished in the bread department, Garrus picked up a loaf of bread that Shepard usually bought and Shepard sighed. He turned as she dug out the last of the crumbs at the bottom of the bag. “Maybe I was hungry.” She looked over the cart trying to remember why she’d bought so much. “I’m not going to be able to eat all of this.” 

Garrus did his best not to laugh at the situation or tell her he told her so. He handed the loaf of bread to her, “So do you want to put some of it back, or invite the crew over for a get together?” 

Shepard leaned on the cart, “I’m going to get another cart and just leave this one here.” She slowly stood up and looked around to sneak away. 

Garrus caught her by the shoulder, “You have food that will go bad if you just leave it. Really?” He still had the bread in hand as she turned to him, “Let’s put back what we don’t need.” 

Shepard grabbed the bead, “This is...what we came here for.” Shepard held the bread like it was a child. “I just…” 

Garrus pushed her back to the cart. “Why didn’t you say we just needed bread?” 

Shepard shrugged her shoulders, “Alright. I’ll tell you. I...I just wanted us to do something normal. I remember my mother telling me about going shopping with Dad. Spending time together trying to plan out our meals. It was a bonding thing, something I haven’t gotten to do before. You usually go to the Exchange by yourself.” 

Garrus crossed his arms over his chest, “You never want to go?” He moved closer to her, “Is it something about this store? We went a long ways out of our ways to come to his place.” Garrus glanced around, it was a good hours car trip from their home. He couldn’t think of any real reason to go so far just for a loaf of bread, even if it was cheaper bread.

Shepard nodded, “This is where my parents met. Two Alliance officers meeting over a loaf of bread.” Shepard toss the bread into the cart, “I wanted to share this place with you, but I couldn’t figure out how to tell you without sounding cheesy.” 

Garrus chuckled then reached into the cart and pulled out a block of white cheese, “Here hold this while you say it. Then you can be cheesey with cheese.” 

Shepard scoffed then she leaned in giving the Turain a kiss. “You two get a room.” A older voice yelled. Shepard glanced over at the woman with thick glasses and how hunched over she needed a cane to walk. The older woman slowly walked away, “What kids these days are into. And I thought letting the gays marry was going to end our world.” 

Garrus narrowed his eyes, “Should we tell her that Reaper are what is really going to end this world? Not whom people love?” 

Shepard laughed, “I’d rather save my breath for you than what some fossile things.” Shepard glanced at the cart, “Let just buy everything and invite the guys over, I haven’t made fun of Joker enough this month.” Garrus nodded as he walked over to the cart and they headed to the checkout line. 

Garrus unloaded the cart of Shepard walked over to the checkout lady. She was young with her hair in braids. She scanned each item then when she got to the pack of beer she looked up, “I’m going to need to see some ID, please.” Shepard smirked as she pulled out her military ID the girl entered the birthdate into her computer then glanced at Garrus, “I’ll need some ID from you too.” 

Garrus titled his head, “I can’t eat or drink anything in this store. Why do you need my ID?” 

Shepard tapped her ID on the counter, as the Checker turned to him, “I have to check the ID of everyone buying alcohol not matter what.” 

Shepard tried to hide the smile on her face, “Garrus is a Turian, he can’t eat 99% of the stuff in this store. It’s make him extremely sick. You don’t have to check his ID.” 

“Yes I do. It’s the rules, what sort of Alliance officer are you that you don’t understand the rules.” Shepard sighed not sure if she should bring up she was a Specter. “If you don’t have ID I can’t sell you the alcohol.” 

Garrus scoffed as he pulled out his pass and show it to her. She looked over the small booklet, “What?” She said and Shepard glanced over seeing it wasn’t written in english with a horrible picture of Garrus in one corner. “Is this some sort of joke?” 

Shepard narrowed her eyes, “What makes you think a Turian, would have his ID in english? It’s a Turin Military ID trust me, he’s old enough.” 

The girl shook her head, “I’m going to have to call my manager about this.” She picked up the phone by her register and called for management. 

Garrus sighed, “This is why I like shopping at the Exchange almost everyone at least can read Turian.” 

The line behind them got long as it took half the store to try and figure out if Garrus was old enough to buy the beer. Shepard sighed as a new person showed up and she looked at the clock which told her they’d been in the store for a good two hours. And she wasn’t even sure how long the shopping had taken. 

The Store manager glanced at Garrus then at his ID, “He...looks old enough. I don’t know what Turian life spans are.” 

Shepard chuckled, “The same as humans. I’m Commander Shepard of the Alliance Navy please for the love of God just let us go.” 

The Store manager was a round fella that was loosing most of his hair, “Sorry but we can’t sell beer to underage. I’m afraid that we can’t determine the age on this ID and therefore can’t sell to you.” 

Shepard rubbed her head, “Fine take the beer out. I’ll go to a bar later and get something stronger.” Garrus took his ID back and the store manager took the pack of beer back to the shelves. Shepard finished paying for the rest of the food and they headed out. Shepard walked out the door with her cart of food, “What sort of backwater place is it and can you remind me why we’re trying to save it?”

Garrus put his hand on her shoulder, “We’re here because you wanted to be here. We’re saving them because it’s the right thing to do.” Shepard rolled her eyes as the loaded up the car and headed home.

**Author's Note:**

> I did have a friend from Sweden visiting me in America and this did happen to us while trying to buy beer. It's not fun.


End file.
